Penny Wins Fourth Term in NC House

Republican Howard Penny Jr. defeated Democrat Kevin Thurman in House District 53, which covers parts of Johnston and Harnett counties.

Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in Elections

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Republican State Representative Howard Penny Jr. won a fourth term in the North Carolina House of Representatives, collecting 17,570 votes, or 51.56 percent, in District 53. Democrat Kevin Thurman received 15,787 votes, or 46.32 percent, while Libertarian Christopher Sessions received 722 votes, or 2.12 percent.

Why it matters

Penny's 1,783-vote margin of 5.24 percentage points, according to final unofficial returns, shows the district remained competitive across both counties. The result keeps the seat in Republican hands for another term in the state House.

Penny received 17,570 votes to Thurman's 15,787 in the district-wide tally, a margin of 1,783 votes. Thurman won Johnston County by 79 votes, while Penny carried Harnett County by 1,862 votes; the source does not report certified totals.

The players

Howard Penny Jr.

Penny is a Republican State Representative from Coats who has served on multiple House committees during the 2025-2026 session.

Kevin Thurman

Thurman is the Democratic candidate who has challenged Penny for the District 53 seat in multiple election cycles.

The details

Penny, who was first appointed to the House in 2020, carried Harnett County with 8,931 votes compared to 7,069 for Thurman. Thurman had challenged Penny for the seat in both 2022 and 2024 before the rematch in this year's general election.

2020: Penny is first appointed to the North Carolina House.
2022: Thurman challenges Penny for the House seat.
2024: Thurman again challenges Penny for the House seat.
November 3, 2026: Penny wins a fourth term in the general election.

Political Context

Thurman's repeated challenges in 2022, 2024 and 2026 show Democrats contesting the seat across several cycles without yet flipping it. The close margin in Johnston County highlights how the district's split between two counties shapes the outcome.

For North Carolina voters in District 53, the result determines which representative serves their interests in the state House for the next term. Penny's continued tenure means the district's legislative priorities will stay under the same representative.

The takeaway

District 53 remains a closely divided contest, and voters in both Johnston and Harnett counties should watch how the seat's representation develops. Final certified results will confirm the margin reported in unofficial returns.